Military Leave
by Lorn of Cyador
Summary: Ed tries to bring his mother back from the dead. His human transmutation fails horribly, and he suffers major losses. Afterwards, Colonel Mustang recruits the young alchemist into the Amestris military. This is the story of Ed's life in the military.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my first fanfiction, so the quality is pretty bad. I'm sure I'll get better. If you guys like it, or have some criticism, leave a review. This story starts off at the beginning of FMA, but instead of staying behind on Resembool, Ed joins the military.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Chapter One: Military Leave

It was late afternoon when a car pulled up to the automail shop in the small town of Resembool. Out of the driver side stepped a taller women, with blonde hair done up in a bun of sorts. She walked to the back door on the passenger side and opened the door. A man with raven black hair stepped out, eyeing the sign in front of the shop. It read 'Rockbell Automail'. The man and woman wore blue uniforms, signifying that they were part of the Amestris military. They walked up to the door, and the man let himself in.

"Well, that explains a few things.  
A human transmutation.  
I've never seen such a furious reaction before.  
Pardon me." As the man said that, three of the four people in the main room look at him with shocked faces.

"A State Alchemist?" This came from what seemed to be a suit of armor with the voice of a small boy.

"What are you doing here? I have no time to entertain dogs. Can't you see these boys are hurt?" This came from a quite old lady, who stood what seemed a quarter of the man's height.

"Take it easy, ma'am. I caught wind of a disturbance in the house next door, and decided to check it out. I'm almost glad that I did, now. Are these the boys who attempted human transmutation?" The man asked looking at the suit of armor and a small boy sitting in a wheelchair in front of him. At the last two words, the armor flinched. The boy in the wheelchair kept his head down, eyes pointed at his knees.

"Get out of my house you military dog! They have suffered their punishment already." The little old lady seemed furious, and showed clear hatred of the military.

"I am aware of that fact ma'am. Though I have questions for the boys nonetheless. I would appreciate some cooperation." The raven haired man wow a serious face.

"I will answer his questions Pinako." The armor jumped as the child in front of him spoke in a quiet voice.

"Edward, you really don't need to," the old lady replied.

"Yes I do," the boy looked up suddenly, his eyes a brilliant good color. I flame burned in those eyes, the flame of determination. After a silent moment, the old lady named Pinako brought Edward and the military man into the kitchen. She gave the man a nasty look before leaving.

"My name is Colonel Roy Mustang. I am a State Alchemist for the Amestris military. How old are you?"

"I'm 12," the boy said, still quiet. The Colonel started in amazement. The boy seemed young at first sight, but that young was unexpected.

"To be so young and to be able to attend human transmutation, it's unheard of. That shows that you have talent. I'll get to my point. I wanted to offer you a place in the military," Mustang said in an even voice.

"And why would I do that, Colonel?" The boys voice was still quiet, but held a snarky tone.

"Well, for starters, I could keep you from being arrested for doing human transmutation. Secondly, we have an abundance of resources at our disposal. As part of the military, you would have those resources at your fingers," the Colonel watched Edward, waiting for a response. After a moment, the boy spoke.

"If a say no, you'll arrest me. But if a say yes, you'll take me away from my family." Edward looked up into Mustang's eyes, clearly angered.

"If you say no, I'll leave here today and tell no one what you did. But I can't guarantee that the military won't snoop around a bit. And if you say yes, then you will go with us. Your brother would have to stay here, unfortunately, but he'd be safe from the prying eyes of the military," the Colonel's voice was still even, showing no signs of anger or even pity towards the child.

"When do you leave?" Edward looked back down at his knees. He was seriously contemplating joining the military. He weighed the choices he had.

"Tonight. Our train leaves at ten." The Colonel struggled to keep the excitement of of his voice. Was the kid really going to join him?

"I need automail," Edward's voice was less quiet than before, and it sounded pensive.

"There are many mechanics in Central, and the military would pay for it." Mustang leaned forward into his elbows, watching Edward.

"Let's go," the child said, at a normal volume. As he said this, he looked up showing Mustang his golden eyes.

The Colonel stood, and guided Edward's wheelchair back into main room. He then went over to the woman that arrived with him and started whispering with her. We took this opportunity to beat the news to the suit of armor in a separate room. After what seemed like an hour, the kid was able to tell everyone where he was going. The military woman pushed Edward's wheelchair out of the automail shop. As he left, Ed turned to see the crying face of his childhood friend Winry, and the angry face of old lady Pinako. He also saw the expressionless face of the armor that was his brother. He waved bye to his family, but it was not returned. The woman lifted Ed into the back seat of the car that she arrived in. The Colonel sat next to him and the woman got into the driver's seat. The car started moving, and Edward watched as his hometown faded from sight.

That concludes chapter one. Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA

Edward awoke with a jolt. He hastily looked around his surroundings, as memories of the day before slowly filter into his head. He remembered how he left his childhood home of Resembool, taken away by Colonel Mustang and another soldier. Ed realized that he was still in the car with the Colonel by his side. The sun had set and it would be dark if it weren't for the lights of the city.

"We are almost to our destination Ed," the dark haired Colonel said to him in a gentle voice. "You will be boarding with me tonight. In the morning we will go shopping for your automail and your uniform. Then I'll introduce you to other soldiers in our unit."

"I don't have any money Mr. Mustang," the young alchemist replied sullenly.

"it's already paid for. You don't need to worry about a thing for now. Though a good bit of info: I'm Colonel Mustang. Not Mr. Mustang." The car pulled up to a large building. Colonel Mustang got out of the vehicle and walked around to Ed's side. The man opened the door and picked up the child, then went inside. Mustang set Edward gently on the couch before laying a blanket over him.

"Go to sleep Edward. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow." Ed was asleep before the last word was out of the Colonel's mouth.

The morning came soon for Mustang. He was awoken by his alarm clock, which currently read four am in red numbers. The Colonel laid still for another minute, enjoying the warmth of his soft bed. Then he swung his legs over the edge of the bed as he threw off his covers. He sat there in his boxers for another minute before he got up and grabbed a towel. Mustang walked into the bathroom adjoining his bedroom.

The tile of the floor was cold on the Colonel's feet. He let out an involuntary shiver before turning on the lights and the water to the shower. As Mustang showered himself, he formulated a plan for the day. The first on the list was definitely getting Edward's automail. From there, they could grab the child's uniform right before introducing him to the crew. He turned the water off and grabbed his towel. The man dried himself and soon left the bathroom with the towel wrapped around his waist. By 4:30 the man was dressed in his blue uniform, and ready for his day of shopping with Edward. He went over to his couch and rolled the boy off of it. He want doing it to be mean or cruel, but rather to see how the boy reacted. Ed hit the floor with a dang.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!" Ed's response was about what Mustang had expected. The boy shakily stood on his one leg, holding a table to steady himself.

"Calm yourself kids. You need to take a shower and get ready to go," the Colonel said cooly.

"Where's the bathroom?" Ed questioned quietly. When Mustang pointed to a door across the room, the boys eyes widened.

"Do you want help Edward?" The Colonel asked in his level voice.

"No." Ed's response held anger. The boy started to hop his way across the room. After about five minutes, he had reached the door. He flashed a quick smirk at the raven haired man as he entered.

Ed struggled to wash himself. It was particularly hard when he went to wash his arm. He ended up going himself with a rag using his foot. After taking some time in the shower, the kid dried off. He had to put on the same clothes, because he had nothing else to wear. Edward and Mustang were out the door at quarter after five.

The pair sat in the waiting room for what felt like days. A doctor had come in earlier to take measurements of Edward's body. He said that this project would be done by the end of the week, but the Colonel had something to say about that. He told the doctor that the Fuhrer wanted it done as a rush project. The man then ran out of the room, almost as though Mustang had threatened him.

Ed looked over at the clock. It has been four hours since the boys measurements were taken. He groaned to himself and looked at the door that the doctor had disappeared behind earlier. Edward stared at the door for what felt like an hour before it sprang open. Before he knew what was going on, he was being ushered into a sterilized surgical room.

"Now, Edward, this is going to be painful. Attaching automail can make even a seasoned soldier cry," the doctor said calmly. Ed was held down by two large men as the doctor began his work on attaching the prosthetic limb to him. A sudden sharp pain went through his shoulder. The pain felt almost unbearable, and he winced. But as he felt the pain, Edward got a flash of the memory of how he first lost his arm. Because of this sour memory, he did not let a tear even well up in his eye. The same procedure was repeated for his leg, and the same memory kept the kid from crying.

"He didn't even shed a tear…" One of the men holding Ed was whispering to the doctor.

"You are good to go Edward. And this will not be cheap Colonel," the doctor said with a finality in his tone. Mustang led a limping Edward back to the waiting room. By the time they were on the street, the kid was able to walk on his own.

The Colonel led this newly whole boy to their next location, in complete silence. The only noises on the street were those of the passing cars. The two entered a shop with military uniforms in the display window. Edward spent more time being measured before being sat in another waiting room. He was sick and tired of waiting, and he really just wanted to do something active. He wanted to test the limits of his automail. And after an hour of fantasizing, he received his new uniform. The uniform consisted of blue slacks tucked into heavy black boots, a tucked in white undershirt, a blue jacket trimmed in white, and all tied together with a black belt. Edward put on the final product.

"How does it fit Ed?" the Colonel asked in his cool voice.

"It fits comfortably. Thanks Colonel." Ed looked at himself in the uniform. It fit him well, and while he wore it, you couldn't see the automail that he wore underneath.

"I think it's time to introduce you to the unit." This caused Edward to look at the man.

"Okay," the boy said, his voice portraying determination. Mustang gave Ed a look of curiosity. This boy was truly a wonder.

A/N: Another chapter done. Expect a chapter every two weeks. I might post early and I might post late, but I'll try to keep to a two week schedule. I'll post the next chapter if I can get two reviews.


	3. Chapter 3

Mustang had led Edward to a large building, surrounded by white stone walls. The Colonel led the boy, who stared in awe, into the building. As the pair walked down the extensive hallways, Ed kept wide eyes. He tried to take in every detail, but they walked too fast. On the walls were paintings and pictures of high ranking officers and other people who did important things for the State. Mustang smirked at the look on the face of the child. The look was of curiosity and excitement. It was like he took the kid to an amusement park. The Colonel ushered Edward through a doorway. On the other side of the room was another door. In the room sat four men, all in the same blue uniform worn by Ed and Mustang. They sat at four of the six desks positioned around the room. The soldier closest to the Colonel was sleeping, while the other three were taking turns throwing playing cards into a hat in the middle of the room. A second passed before the three conscious men rapidly stood and gave a salute.

"Sir! Um… Does Lieutenant Hawkeye happen to, um, be with you?" This came from a shorter man in the back left corner of the room. Upon the word "Hawkeye", the sleeping man jumped up into a salute.

"Good to see that you are all doing your jobs. No, I gave Hawkeye the day off today. I brought the newest member of our unit." The Colonel's voice held an amused tone. He pushed Ed forward out of the doorway, into the sight of the small group. "This is Private Edward Elric. He will work in our unit while he trains to become a State Alchemist."

"Colonel, isn't he a little young to become a State Alchemist?" This came from the man who was sleeping when Edward had entered the room. When the Colonel told the men that Hawkeye wasn't around today, they relaxed and took their seats.

"He may be young, but he has the talent and knowledge required. Edward, this," he points to the soldier closest, who had started smoking a cigaret, "is Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc. When I'm not around, and when the First Lieutenant is absent, he's in charge."

"Nice to meet you kiddo," the man said, sticking out his right hand to give a shake.

"I'm no kid," Edward replied firmly, accepting the shake with his automail hand. He gave a firm handshake before lowering his arm.

"And that," the Mustang continued, now pointing at the man in the back left corner, "is Sergeant Major Kain Fuery. He is our mechanics and communications specialist. If you need help with anything mechanical, just ask him."

Kain walked forward and put out his hand. Edward took it and gave the same handshake that he had given Jean. The Sergeant Major gave a surprised look at Edward at how firm the handshake was. Edward then dropped his hand to his side and turned to the Colonel.

"This guy," Mustang pointed at the man in the right corner, "is Warrant Officer Vato Falman. He is our information expert. That means if you need research done, or some information dug up, he'll do it for you." Edward repeated the same handshake process as he had with the previous troops.

"And last but not least," The Colonel pointed at the last man to be introduced, "is Second Lieutenant Heymans Breda. He is our investigations specialist. So he'll be looking into crime scenes and similar stuff and collecting information on those scenes. Edward, you'll be stationed between Havoc and Fuery." Edward gave another handshake, as firm as his first, before taking his seat at the desk between the Sergeant Major and the Second Lieutenant. After the introductions, the Colonel went through the door on the other side of the room. Edward stood and followed his superior.

"So, Edward, these are the people you'll be working with for a while. Tonight, you'll be going with them to the barracks. Oh, and for now you can help me with my paperwork." The Colonel gave a sly smile to his subordinate.

"I don't think that will be necessary, sir," a new voice said. Edward turned around, and in the doorway was a woman who stood about a head taller than the boy. "I'm First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye," she shook Ed's hand before looking to the Colonel. "Colonel Mustang, the Private should not be doing your paperwork. You have to sign that. So if you're done exploiting you subordinate, he can come with me."

"Alright Riza," Mustang said with a sigh. "Go on Edward. The Lieutenant undoubtedly has a job for you."

And with that, the young Private followed the First Lieutenant out of Mustang's office, and through another door leading off from the main room.

A/N: I received some complaint about the pairing that I originally chose to write about. If you guys want me to pair Edward with someone else, leave a review saying who. If I don't get any alternatives, I'll continue the way I'm headed.


	4. Chapter 4

The First Lieutenant sat behind her desk. Unlike the Colonel's office, there were no papers.

"So Edward, you have met the others. What do you think?" Hawkeye asked Ed, smiling.

"They seem friendly enough," the Private answered, thinking back to earlier. Those men seemed to fear the First Lieutenant.

"Yes, they are very friendly. Though I often have to remind them to do their work. How familiar are you with guns?" The question surprised Ed. He looked pretty taken aback.

"Um, not much, really," he replied. As he said that, Hawkeye set a firearm on the desk.

"Okay. This is a SIG P228. Unloaded, it weighs about 30 ounces, or 1.8 pounds. Our standard issue clips hold 12 nine millimeter. Part of our military training from the Academy, we learn how to safely use this gun. Since you will not be going through the Academy training, I will teach you. Lesson one: gun safety. Never point a gun at a person that you don't plan on shooting. Now, pick up the gun," the Lieutenant instructed. Careful to not point the pistol at himself or the Lieutenant. It was pretty light. The boy looked to his superior.

"Good. Now, set it back down on the desk," Hawkeye told Ed. "Over the next month, I will teach you how to properly and efficiently use this weapon. Tomorrow, instead of coming here, you are to report to the shooting range. For now, you are dismissed. Tell Fuery that he is to show you to the barracks."

Edward left the office and headed towards Fuery.

Meanwhile…

"Al, can you move that bin over here?" Winry asked. The suit of armor known as Al dropped a bin of metal scrap next to the girl's workbench.

"What are you going to do with this stuff Winry?" the armor questioned.

"I'm going to build some automail for one of the Veterans in town. He is paying a good price for my work. It'll be enough money to score us a couple of tickets to Central!" The girl was dancing around with excitement.

"Why would you want to go to Central? There is nothing there for us," the boy replied.

"To bring Edward home," Winry whispered. The armor seemed to wince at this name.

"He isn't coming back Winry. He left us. He became a military dog." Al's voice held an angry tone to it. He knew that his brother wasn't going to come back. He had left them to become a soldier. Ed was as good as dead to Al. And poor Winry. The poor girl still had hope for that kid. But that's only because she wasn't the armor. Al wasn't mad at Ed for putting him in the armor. He was mad because his brother left him shortly after. It broke everyone's hearts.

"He will come back Al! He has to. And I'll be the one to bring him home." Winry's face was streaked with tears. She loved Edward. They were the best of friends, and they were going to get married and lead a happy life! She thought of all her happy memories with Ed as she threw some scrap metal into a pot. She put the put into and oven like appliance as she thought of going to the city to bring him home.

"Go to Central if you want. I'm staying here." Al stalked out of the room.

Later…

BANG!

"Nice shot Private. Now do a thousand more like that and you'll be as good as Fuery," First Lieutenant said. Edward worked on reloading the handgun he was using for practice. He was clumsy at that part, but he could at least hit the target. When Edward was done, he took twelve more shots at the target in front of him. He hit it all twelve times, but his precision was awful.

"Okay kid. Wrap it up. Good work for today. It's been a long day, so go home," Hawkeye said.

"Yes ma'am!" Edward said. He removed the clip from the gun and set it on a counter with the gun. A man on the other side took them and put them away in their proper drawers. Ed bid his superior good evening and started his walk to the barracks. He walked through the streets as the sun went down, and when he got to his destination, it was dark. The boy walked into a room. On the inside, each side of the room had five beds for a total of ten. In the one closest to the door sat Sergeant Major Fuery. He was tinkering with a radio.

"Hey Fuery," Ed said tiredly.

"Hey Elric. Long day?" the Sergeant replied.

"Yeah. Target practice sucks. Where are the others?" Ed questioned.

"They went out to the bar after they got off. I didn't feel like going, so I stayed here."

"Cool. Well, I'm going to shower. Yell if you need me." Ed walked to his bed at the back left of they room and grabbed a blue towel out of his trunk. He proceeded to the door on the right side of the room and entered. This room was as large as the first one, and instead of having ten beds, there were ten faucets. The tiled floor was cold on the kid's feet as he walked to the nearest faucet and turned on the water. He showered in peace and quiet. As he did so, he got the his first real chance to look at his automail. He watched his prosthetic limb moved to clean his body. He was the innards of the machine move and do there job as he flexed the arm. Edward was in awe at how beautiful the arm was. Ed's thoughts were disturbed by loud voices in the other room. The others must be back, he thought.

A/N: Thanks to Theopgamer1002 and Toast for your reviews. I really appreciate the support. Also thank you to the people who followed this fanfic, or added it to their favorites list. It has really motivated me to write this chapter. My time for writing has decreased recently, so the next chapter is predicted to be out on fourteenth of February.


	5. Chapter 5

Edward wrapped his towel around his waist before exiting the shower room. In the bunk room, Ed could see the new arrivals. Falman, Havoc, and Breda had gone to some pub after work. Now they were back and, by the looks of it, at least Havoc was drunk.

"Hey there Eddo!" Havoc shouted as he waved at the boy.

"Hey Havoc. Are you drunk?" Edward shot at him.

"Yeah, he is," Falman said unimpressed.

"Dude, I am wasted," Havoc grinned, sitting on a bed.

"You know, if Hawkeye sees you like this, she'll kill you," Ed commented. At the Lieutenant's name, the rest of the guys in the room froze up with scared looks.

"Edward, not a funny thing to joke about. She'd have us doing laps for the next week," Havoc said, laying down. Ed squatted in front of his trunk and pulled out a pair of underwear.

"If she knew you ditched your post early to meet up with some chick, she'd hang you Havoc," Breda sighed.

"You did what?" Fuery asked in awe. Ed dropped his towel and put on his underwear. After doing so, he found a pair of sweatpants and put those on. He then turned smiling towards Havoc. His grin was wiped away as his eyes landed on none other than First Lieutenant Hawkeye. Everybody, with the exception of Havoc, saw her and were petrified.

"Well, the Hawk was out at the range with Ed. I figured that she wouldn't know if I slipped out a tad early. And I was right. She is completely oblivious that fact," Havoc yawned. Hawkeye walked to the side of Havoc's bunk.

"For someone who is oblivious, I sure know a lot, Havoc," she said in a stern voice. Havoc jumped into the air at the first word. He landed on the floor on the opposite side of the bed as the Lieutenant. Hawkeye walked over to Edward and handed him some papers. "The Colonel wanted me to give these to you. He also wants you to report in an hour earlier tomorrow morning." Ed took the papers and thank his superior. She walked towards the door, but stopped short.

"Oh, and Havoc? Take a shower. You smell like the dumpster outside of the pub." She then walked through the door and slammed it shut.

"Well, shit," Havoc said.

"Dude, you're screwed. And the best part is the fact that you sold yourself out!" Fuery laughed.

"I have to get up earlier, so I'm gonna hit the sack now. Night guys," Ed laid in his bed. After a few hours of just laying with his eyes shut, he fell asleep.

 _Edward was crouching next to his brother, Alphonse. They were almost ready. So close to bringing their mother back. They added their blood to the rest of the ingredients._

" _Are you ready. Brother?" Ed said._

" _Yes. Let's do it," Al responded. The transmutation circle in front of the children lit up, in the way that signified that alchemy was happening. A pain tore through Edward's leg._

Ed sat up, drenched in a cold sweat. The nightmares were a common occurrence, yet he still woke up like this every time. Edward quickly got up and grabbed his towel. After a nice refreshing shower, the Private went dressed himself in his uniform. This is going to be a long, exhausting day he thought to himself. The boy crept through the bunk room and quietly opened the door to leave. He looked back to make sure that he didn't wake anybody, then shut the door behind him. The streets were dark as the boy walked through them. He took a deep breath, inhaling the cool air of the early morning. Edward was only paces away from the gate when he heard a weird noise behind him. He whipped around and stared into the darkness of the street. There seemed to be nothing there, but Ed had a bad feeling in his gut. He hurried through the gate and quickly made his way to the Colonel's office.

"Morning Sir!" the kid said as he saluted to his superior.

"Good morning, Elric," Mustang smirked. "Do you have those papers that the Lieutenant gave you last night?"

"Yes, Sir. I haven't had a chance to look through them though," Ed said.

"You will need to fill them out. One of the papers is for your own firearm. The others are papers for you if you wish to test to become a State Alchemist," the man explained. So Edward sat at his desk and started doing the paperwork. He was done with the application for his alchemy test when four older men walked in.

"Morning guys," Ed said with a yawn.

"Morning Edward," they chorused in a similar tone. They started in on the papers that they had to go through for the day. About five minutes after the arrival of the other four, Ed finished his request form for a military supplied sidearm. He returned to the front of Mustang's desk.

"Sir, I've finished all of the forms. What should I do with them?" Edward asked.

"I'll take the application for the exam. Hawkeye will take you to turn in that form when she arrives later. For now, though, you could help me. You could do this stack of papers," the Colonel gestured to a three foot stack of papers. The boy sat in the chair in front of Mustang's desk, and started in on the papers. He had forged the Colonel's signatures about 307 times before the First Lieutenant entered the office.

"Private, you can stop doing the Colonel's job," Hawkeye said with an edge to her voice. Mustang flinched and sank down in his seat. "I believe we need to go get your firearm. Come on then."

"Yes Sir!" Ed said, jumping up and grabbing his form. He walked with Hawkeye to the firing range. When they got there, she snatched the paper away from the boy and gave it to the soldier manning the post. In return, she got a pistol along with four clips of ammunition.

"Here, take these," the Lieutenant said, thrusting the gun and bullets at Edward. He loaded a clip into the pistol and put the weapon into his belt holster. He slid the other four clips into the other side of his belt. Hawkeye set a bucket of bullets down at the edge of the range. "Come on, Private. We have plenty of time for target practice."

Ed shot at targets until the sun began to set.

A/N: Hey guys. Thank you Zukafew119, for your great reviews. I love hearing from you all. I hope you like this chapter. My next one should come out on 2/26. Also, a quick question. Which Fullmetal Alchemist anime series did you guys like best?


	6. Chapter 6

Edward was walking home from his target practice with the Lieutenant when he found himself in front of the Central Library. The sky was dark and the windows of the white stone building were lit up. Ed stopped for a moment and quietly observed the building. He watched as a child walked towards him from the door. The kid came to stand before him.

"Hey there, buddy. What're you doing all alone?" the Private asked.

"I'm walking home. Who are you?" the kid responded in a curious fashion.

"I'm Private Edward Elric. Would you like me to walk you home?" Ed said.

"Sure! My name is Selim. I live over in this direction." Selim started walking.

"What were you doing at the library alone?" Edward questioned.

"I was doing research on alchemy! I wanna become Amestris' youngest State Alchemist," the boy said excitedly.

"That's going to be pretty hard. How old are you?" the Private responded.

"I'm nine. Why did you join the military?" the boy asked as he led Edward down a street.

"I made a terrible mistake, and I need to right it. I can do that using the resources I get by being in the military," Ed responded as he scanned the street for other people. The pair started up the driveway of a particularly large house.

"Is that how you lost your arm? The mistake?" Selim asked quietly.

"Yes. I lost my arm and my brother lost more. But I will fix that. I have to," Edward said as he grimaced.

"Oh. Well, good luck with your task," Selim opened the massive door. In the doorway was a man, dressed in military uniform with an eyepatch over his left eye. Ed looked at the shoulders of the man and read his rank. Four gold stars sparkled on the broad shoulders of the Fuhrer of Amestris.

"Fuhrer Bradley!" Edward exclaimed as he snapped to attention and formed a salute.

"At ease, Private. Selim, where are your bodyguards?" the Fuhrer asked.

"I wanted to be left alone. I don't need bodyguards, Father," Selim said as he slipped past his dad.

"Say goodnight to your mother then go off to bed. Thank you for walking my son home Private. There are many people who would like to see Selim dead," Bradley said. Edward was taken aback by the Fuhrer's thanks.

"It was no problem Sir! I didn't think that a child like him should be traveling alone at this hour," Ed was very nervous about conversing with the leader of his nation. What if he said something offensive?

"Hmm. Well, Private, you should head home. You are welcome back anytime, of course. Meatloaf for dinner tomorrow, if you so desire. And be sure report to the Colonel early tomorrow," the Fuhrer said smiling.

Edward waved and left quickly. A bed and some rest was what he needed right now. And time to process that interaction. The Fuhrer just invited him to dinner. He just walked the Fuhrer's son home. Ed's head was spinning as he collapsed on his bed. He needed rest so that he could report to Mustang in early tomorrow. When Edward had drifted off to sleep, the other men were already in bed.

Ed woke in a cold sweat. He stood beside his bed, his nightmare already fading from memory. As he showered silently, he thought about the last night's turn of events. Should he visit the Fuhrer for dinner? Maybe he should just forget about that. He quietly dried and clothed himself before heading out the door. Like the morning before, he was the first one going to work. When Edward arrived at Mustang's office, no one was there. The lights were off, signifying that the Colonel hadn't arrived for work quite yet. Ed sat down in the Colonel's extremely comfortable seat, and took a peak at the paperwork left out on the desk. It was all boring reports about how things have been going in Central. Edward took Mustang's fancy pen, and began signing the papers with the Colonel's name. He had completed all the work on the desk before 4:30 am. He stood and stretched, getting a satisfying crack from his back. Edward left the office, and saw that the light in the Lieutenant's office was on with the door open. Ed poked his head in and saw Hawkeye doing some paperwork. Her hair was down at the moment, and it mesmerized Edward.

"You can come in, Private," the Lieutenant said, without even looking up. Ed jumped in surprise, falling onto the floor. How'd she know that he was there? He got to his feet and stood in front of Hawkeye's desk.

"You're here early, Sir," Edward said.

"I could say the same to you. Why are you here so early?" the Lieutenant asked.

"The Fuhrer asked me to come in extra early. So I did as I was commanded. I finished some paperwork for the Colonel, since no one else was here," the Private explained. Hawkeye looked up suspiciously. She then took a hair elastic from her wrist and put her hair up in her signature style.

"Did Bradley also invite you to dinner?" the Lieutenant asked.

"Um, yeah. Why?" Edward asked.

"Bradley has been trying to work an informant into our midsts for some time now. He is going to use dinner as a time to interrogate you about what the Colonel is doing here." The Lieutenant's voice hardened while speaking about the Fuhrer. Her tone showed dislike and distrust of him.

"Oh. Should I not go then?" Ed asked, looking at his feet. He was almost tricked into spying on Mustang. Edward was slightly disappointed with himself for not seeing it earlier.

"No, you will still go. But we have to tell him that the Colonel is doing his job and nothing more," Hawkeye said sternly.

"Is he doing something that he shouldn't be?" Ed asked, looking into to the Lieutenant's magnificent eyes.

"It is not your place to know what the Colonel is doing." That was all the Edward needed to know. The Colonel was up to something, and it could get him in lots of trouble if Bradley found out. A smirk spread across the Private's face. He had a wonderful plan that would benefit himself and the Colonel.

"Lieutenant, I don't know if I could lie to the Fuhrer, especially if I'm there by myself. If I'm to throw Bradley off the Colonel's scent, I feel like I should have some backup," Ed explained.

"I'm sure that you can convince Fuery to go with you," Hawkeye said in response.

"Wouldn't it be a little suspicious if I showed up with Fuery? I think it would be less conspicuous if I were to bring a lovely date," Edward said smiling innocently.

"I don't like what you are implying, Private," the Lieutenant responded cooly.

"I would like you to come with me to dinner with the Bradley family, Lieutenant Hawkeye," Ed said boldly.

"Well played, Elric. I will join you for dinner with the Fuhrer," Hawkeye answered. Edward waited before leaving the room to cheer silently. He was going to be taking Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye to dinner. One small step for Edward, one large leap for mankind.

Ed spent the rest of the morning practicing with his alchemy in the courtyard for the rest of the morning. As he practiced, he watched Colonel Mustang come in at 7:00 am, and the rest of the crew come in at 9:00 am. Edward had stopped for a break at half past noon, when another soldier walked up to him.

"Are you Private Edward Elric?" the man inquired. By the markings on his shoulders, Ed determined that this guy was a Corporal.

"Yes, Sir," Ed saluted.

"The Fuhrer requests your presence in the alchemy testing chambers. He says you are late for your test," the Corporal relayed.

"But my test isn't until next week. I only just recently filed my paperwork," Edward responded in surprise.

"That doesn't change the fact that the Fuhrer wants to see you. This way, please." The man lead the Private to a large room, where the Fuhrer and several other high ranking officers sat.

"Edward, I know this comes as a surprise to you, but I have moved up the date of your test. I should have notified you ahead of time, but it seems that you made it here just the same." Fuhrer Bradley's voice was loud in this room and it echoed off the walls.

"Should I begin, Sir?" Ed questioned. He got a small nod from Bradley. Upon seeing this nod, Ed began. He transmutated a spear, without using a transmutation circle. He then proceeded to throw it at the Fuhrer. Bradley sat still as he watched it come at him. A pillar of stone came up and wrapped itself around the spear, stopping it's movement within an inch of Bradley's face. The stone then melted back into the floor, leaving the room as it was before Edward had started. A minute passed in complete silence, before the Fuhrer stood and began to clap.

"Good work, my boy. You showed us a wonderful representation of your skill. You should be expecting your results later today." Bradley walked up to Ed and lowered his voice before asking, "Will you be joining my family for dinner?"

"Yes, Sir. I hope you don't mind if I bring a date, Sir." Ed was quiet in return so that the other people in the room couldn't hear.

"I most certainly do not mind. My wife will be happy to have another guest," Bradley responded happily.

Edward turned and left the room. Ed thought about the coming night. He needed a shower, a nap, and a suit.

A/N: Hey guys! I'm sorry that this is so very late. I won't bother giving you guys excuses. I hope to be on time with the next chapter on the 24th of March. And as always, I do appreciate hearing your thoughts on the story and the chapter.


	7. Chapter 7

Edward walked out of the bathroom in his barracks, dressed in a brand new dress uniform. His comrades watched him, Havoc even gave a whistle.

"You got a hot date?" Havoc asked jokingly.

"Depends on your point of view. I think that I do," Edward replied, an evil smile spreading across his face.

"Well, who is it?" Falman asked.

"Like I'd tell you guys. Can I borrow your car, Feury?" Edward smiled a less creepy smile towards the Master Sergeant.

"Um, sure… If you tell us who you're bringing out."

"Fine. I'm bringing the Lieutenant out to dinner." Ed's face started to heat up.

"I didn't know that Mustang was gay," Breda said.

"The First Lieutenant, you idiot," the Private said. Havoc, who was digging through his trunk, fell in. There was utter silence for a good minute, before anybody spoke up.

"You're joking right?" Feury asked, tossing Edward a set of keys.

"I'm dead serious," Ed said with a straight face.

"How?! You're like half her age!" Havoc exclaimed after pulling himself from his trunk.

"I guess I just happen to be better at getting girls than you." Edward walked to the door, glancing back at his surprised comrades before leaving. The Private started the car.

Riza Hawkeye heard a knock at her door. She grabbed her gun from a holster at her back at looked through the peephole. On her doorstep was a short blonde kid. He wore a nice uniform, crafted specifically for formal occasions. He waited there awkwardly, clearly never have been doing this before. The First Lieutenant opened the door while putting her gun away in it's holster.

"Hello, Private," Riza said formally.

"Good evening Lieutenant. You look magnificent tonight," Edward responded. Hawkeye wore beautiful dress of the same shade of blue as the Private's uniform. Her hair was down, going about halfway down her back, covering her hidden gun. She also had on a pair of black heels, bolstering her height.

"You also like nice, Private. Shall we go then?" the Lieutenant asked.

"Yes. But first, I have brought you a gift." Edward pulled a small box from a pocket.

"There is no need for a gift." Hawkeye tried to push the box away.

"I insist. Open it." Ed forced the box into his superior's hands. She hesitantly opened the box, only to reveal a rock and a piece of metal.

"This is an interesting give, Elric," the Lieutenant said, clearly annoyed. Edward then clapped his hands and placed one over the box. With a flash of light, the Private had completed a transmutation. When he removed his hand, there was a pair of diamond earrings sitting in place of the original materials. Edward gave a large satisfied smile at the look of awe on the First Lieutenants face. Hawkeye reset her face before replacing her current earrings with the new ones. Ed then drove the pair to the home of Fuhrer Bradley. They parked and walked to the door when it was opened.

"Good evening, Edward! Ms. Hawkeye, it's a pleasure seeing you again." Fuhrer Bradley greeted in a cheerful voice. He ushered them inside and into a large dining room. "Come, sit. It's Meatloaf tonight!" Edward pulled a chair out for the Lieutenant, and pushed it in once she sat. He then seated himself.

"How are you Fuhrer Bradley?"Ed asked in a polite tone.

"I am well, thank you." He sat at the head of the table. A woman brought out a large pan, presumably holding a meatloaf. She set it in the center of the table before sitting near Bradley, and jut opposite of Edward. A small boy came out of the kitchen with a pot and set it besides the meatloaf. The group had some small talk as they ate meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Most of it was casual stuff about the upcoming events concerning the military. But the tone of the conversation changed when Mrs. Bradley left with little Selim.

"So Edward, how was your post today?" Bradley asked cooly.

"It wasn't too eventful. I went in early and worked on some papers. I practiced some Alchemy. The test was the most interesting part of my day," Ed responded.

"How is that Mustang doing?" Bradley's eyes narrowed at the name.

"Oh, he's fine. He's keeping on top of his work, and keeping his subordinates in line." Edward stretched as he yawned.

"Private, it's rude to yawn at the dinner table," Hawkeye scolded.

"Who are you calling Private?" Bradley asked. "You're looking at State Alchemist Major Elric." Ed's jaw dropped, along side Hawkeye's. The Fuhrer took the opportunity to slide a silver pocket watch Edward.

"Thank you, Sir! I didn't think that I'd be approved this quickly." Edward admired his State Alchemist certificate.

"I fast tracked yours. I felt that you deserved to have it at a reasonable time, considering that you were willing to escort my little Selim home. It's late, so you should probably get your date home." Bradley stood and walked Edward and Riza to the door.

"Thank you for the wonderful food, Sir. And please thank your wife for us," Edward said. He had Hawkeye home soon after they left the Bradley household.

"Thank you for the ride, Pri- Major." Hawkeye opened her door.

"Thank you for the delightful time, Lieutenant. I hope you have a good night." The new Major left Riza in her doorway.

A/N: Hey guys. sorry I'm so late again. I'm not going to set another deadline so that I can't disappoint you guys again. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and as always, feel free to leave your comments in the reviews.


	8. Huge Apology

Dear beloved fans,

I am extremely sorry for my disappearance from this site. I respect you guys too much to give you any lame excuses. I will be trying to get back into the swing of writing. For now, know that I am working on the next chapter. I hope to have it posted soon.

Sincerely,

Lorn


	9. Chapter 8

Edward was positively glowing as he entered the barracks. It was late, and the other troops were pretty much asleep.

"Hey Havoc! Wake up!" Ed whisper-shouted to the nearest bunk. The covers stirred in response.

"What do you want Private?" came the drunken voice of the Second Lieutenant. To that, Edward gave an uncharacteristic smirk as he tossed the brand new silver watch on to the agitated Havoc.

"I'm too drunk for this Elric. Go to bed."

"Oh take a look at it. It's the certification of new rank." Ed couldn't help but have pride in his becoming a Major. Havoc flipped on a flashlight, revealing his tired face. He eyed the watch, turning it over in his hand.

"Congrats." He threw it back to the newly made Major. "Now go to sleep."

"Okay. If Hawkeye sees you with a hangover, she'll hang you, by the way." Edward walked over to his bed and undressed. He suddenly felt tired as he collapsed on his bed. Before he fell asleep, he could've swore he saw dozens of eyes in the shadows.

But the eyes were soon forgotten as his nightmares came to haunt him. Again, he saw his brother disappear as well as his arm. There was blood everywhere. Armor came into view. Edward knew not what he was doing, but he did it anyways. It was as though an exterior force guided his hand. He was bleeding out, but he must save his brother. It was all he had left. His only family. He had to hold on a little longer. His vision blurred, a voice screamed, his heart raced.

Then there was darkness.

Edward woke with a silent gasp. His breath has heavy, and droplets of cold sweat covered his body. This was his queue to get up. So like every other day, he got up and showered. He enjoyed the warmth of the water on his skin as he felt his dirtiness wash away. 'I should go in early today. I'm sure Mustang needs help with his paperwork,' Ed thought to himself. After his shower, he clothed himself not forgetting to grab his watch. As he walked his way to his post, he held the watch, receiving a comfort from it. His first real comfort since he left home.

Edward entered the building that he now called work, observing the features of the place. He never realized how dull the walls were. Ed encountered nothing interesting until he reached the office of his superior officer. Of course Roy had his head down on a stack of papers, dosing calmly. Ed shook his commanding officer awake, causing him to jump out of his chair.

"I'm awake Hawkeye!" he yelled.

"Sir, it's just me. The First Lieutenant hasn't come in yet." Ed took the seat opposite his commanding officer.

"Oh, well since you're in early, you get to help with the paperwork." Mustang said as he sat down.

"Yes Sir." Edward began to sort through the papers, finally selecting a pile to work on.

"How did your date with the First Lieutenant go?" Mustang asked casually.

"It went very well sir. Fuhrer Bradley gave me some good news while we were over there." Ed began to sign the reports in front of him.

"Oh? And what is that?"

"I passed my test. Bradley gave me my watch last night." Mustang paused in his work.

"That's great news, Elric! But that means I have to find you a mission." The Colonel went back to his work.

"I understand. May I make a request?" Edward looked up at Roy.

"You can make one. I might not be able to grant it."

"I… I need to visit my b-brother." Edward's face paled at the thought.

"I figured you want to do that." Mustang's voice was now serious and business like. "I can grant you that. But I can't have you running off alone."

"Of course Sir. Who will you be assigning to babysit me?"

"I wouldn't put it like that now, Elric," the Colonel smirked. "Why don't you take your pick. They haven't had anything to do for a while."

"I can take anyone?" Edward raised one eyebrow.

"Sure. Why not? You can't have Havoc though. Hawkeye has him working as the janitor as punishment for drinking at work last month."

"I want Hawkeye." Ed's look deadpanned.

"Erm… May I ask why?" Mustang questioned, shocked.

"Because I might need some help with my brother. I feel like she'll be able to aid me."

"As you wish, Major. Well, you should go collect the First Lieutenant. Your train will leave in about an hour." Mustang stood.

"Thank you Colonel. I will report back when I'm done." The Major shook Roy's hand before turning and leaving.

A/N: Thank you for being patient with my leave of absence. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. And as always, I would love to hear what you guys have to say about this continuation. All comments/criticisms are welcome.

P.S.

If anybody would like to help contribute to this story, I would love to hear from you. This is your story as much as it is mine, so don't hesitate to speak up!


	10. Chapter 9

It was close to daybreak when Edward knocked on the First Lieutenant's door. He was of course nervous about bothering Hawkeye this early in the morning. She did seem like she'd be a grouch in the morning. The second his hand left the door however, it popped open.

"Good morning Major," Riza said in her normal business like tone. "Care for some coffee?"

"Erm, I'm good, thanks," Edward said. He was clearly wrong. She is a morning person. "I have been given an assignment. The Colonel told me to tell you and then head off to the train station."

"What is this assignment?" the Lieutenant asked.

"I'm going back to visit my brother." Ed's face paled a bit. His brother hated him. Why wouldn't he? He took away his brother's body, and stuck him in a suit of armor.

"And I am to go with you?" Edward was taken aback. How'd she know? Hawkeye could tell what he was thinking by the look on his face. "Why else would the Colonel tell you to visit me?"

"I guess it was pretty obvious then. The train leaves within a half hour," Ed said with a smile on his face.

"Yes. I'll pack an extra uniform. Where will we be staying while we're there?" Hawkeye questioned in her business tone. At that question, Edward grimaced.

"There is an inn in town, not far from our objective." Ed looked up towards the sky. "We shouldn't be there too long, though. It will be a quick meeting. We may not have stay in Resembool."

"Why don't you come in while I pack," the First Lieutenant offered, gesturing towards the interior of the apartment. Edward walked inside, looking around. The place was spotless! How anybody could keep a place this clean was beyond him. Hawkeye walked into a room, leaving Ed in the entranceway/livingroom/diningroom. The place was smaller than the barracks by a lot.

"Where is your stuff?" the Lieutenant asked, as she walked back in.

"I have some stuff to pick up from Resembool, so I thought it best not to bring stuff along with me." Edward opened the door for Hawkeye. "Anyways, I don't plan on being there long."

"Are there some sour feelings between you and your brother?" Hawkeye asked quietly. Edward looked down at his feet as they made their way to the train station.

"Yes. He… He blames me for what happened. Rightfully of course. He hates me." Edward was pale, but did not shed a tear.

"I'm sorry. Perhaps we should talk about something else?" the Lieutenant offered.

"Why do you live in such a small apartment?" Edward asked. Hawkeye raised an eyebrow.

"Well, for the most part, because I don't need a larger place. I suppose it's also because I don't get a huge amount of money." Hawkeye had wondered the same thing herself before. She tried living in a larger place once, though. It felt… Lonely. "Why do you ask?"

"I was curious, because the military offers living quarters. I wanted to know why you don't use them." Hawkeye shook her head a bit.

"I don't trust other people enough to stay with them in the barracks. And the barracks for this area are home to idiots like Havoc." Perhaps if she were serving under a different officer, she'd use the barracks. But that was unlikely anyways.

I completely understand," Edward laughed. They had finally arrived at their platform. They boarded the military car on the train, to find that they were the only military personnel going east. That was expected though. The east was peaceful enough that they didn't need the military breathing down their necks. The train ride went on in silence. Ed could feel Resembool getting closer, and the closer it felt, the more nervous he was. When the train eventually stopped, He sprung up.

"Let's get this over with." Edward murmured. The second he got off the train, he felt many pairs of eyes on him. "Stick close and don't make eye contact with them. The blue uniform is not welcome here." Ed whispered to Hawkeye.

"I can handle it myself," Hawkeye said. She took lead and began walking through town. Children scattered away from the two officers. Shop owners closed their doors, and shoppers scowled at them. They were almost to the edge of town when they were stopped by a few large men.

"What do we have here? Leaving so soon?" the first one asked.

"Yeah, we haven't shown you our _hospitality_ yet," another said maliciously. Hawkeye was prepared for a fight, and showed her readiness by going into a combat stance.

"The pretty lady has something to say?" the first one asked as he took a swing at her. She dodged out of the way, and went to strike. But she was stopped by another fist. It was all she could do to avoid getting hit. An angry look glinted in Edward's eyes. Before anyone else could make an attack, he clapped his hands together, then to the ground. A wall of stone rose from the ground, separating the fighting parties.

"I am sorry to have bothered you gentlemen. We will be on our way," Ed said in a cold tone. "Come on Lieutenant. We have places to be." Hawkeye had a surprised look on her face. She jogged to catch up with Edward.

"Why did you do that Elric?" Hawkeye demanded.

"We must avoid fighting. We are not welcome here, and they will not hesitate to band together against us." Edward kept a steady pace, his target now within view.

"They attacked me first. I could've arrested them," the Lieutenant said. She was angry that Edward stopped her from fighting. It was simply not his place.

"First Lieutenant Hawkeye. I'm sure you got that title because you are smart, not because you like to fight. We will do this in the way that gets us in and out fastest, without casualties." Edward's words were stern and commanding. Hawkeye had no more questions and continued walking. As they approached the house on the hill in front of them, a dog ran up to Edward.

"Hey there Den. It's good to see you." As Edward scratched the dog's head, Hawkeye saw a slight smile grace his face for the first time since they boarded the train. The dog was three legged, and had the fourth replaced by what looked like automail.

"Who spends money to put automail on a dog? It's super expensive." Hawkeye asked. Edwards smile left his face.

"The Rockbell's didn't buy it. They made it," Ed said quietly. They continued up towards the house, Den running circles around them. Edward knocked on the door. Three loud knocks, that anyone inside could hear.

"Welcome to Rockbell's Automail, how can I help you?" an old woman said as she opened the door. She was short, coming up to Edward's waist. "Military? I told you never to come back." Old Pinako Rockbell said.

"Hello Pinako. I'm sure you know who I am?" Ed said quietly.

"Yes. I know who you were. Now leave military man." The door slammed shut in Ed's face. Edward reopened it.

"I need a word with my brother, and I must collect the rest of my stuff. May I do so, Pinako?"

"I am not the breadwinner of the house. It is not up to me," Pinako responded. Behind her was a taller blonde girl.

"Edward? Is that you?" She asked.

"Hello Winry. I came to see how everyone was doing," Ed explained. "Is Al here?"

"He's upstairs. Will you be here long? Are you back to stay?" Winry started asking excitedly.

"If you'll have me, I'd love to talk about that over dinner. Would that be okay, Pinako?" Edward asked.

"I will make enough for you, for Winry's sake. But you will leave tonight!" Pinako exclaimed.

"Thank you Pinako. This is First Lieutenant Hawkeye, by the way," Ed explained. Then to Hawkeye he said, "Will you please stay with them while I talk to my brother?" Hawkeye only nodded. At that, Ed started up the staircase. As he walked down the hallway, he could feel his brother's presence. Edward knocked on the door to Alphonse's. The door opened slowly, of its own accord.

"Al? Are you in here?" Ed whispered aloud. He stepped in and looked around. There was no large suit of armor in sight, so Al must not be there. As Edward turned to leave, something heavy fell on him.

"What is your business here, _Brother_?" Alphonse demanded. Ed raised the armor off of him with alchemy.

"I came to speak with you Al."

A/N: I hope you peeps enjoyed this chapter. I will be uploading again soon, so don't worry. I am still looking for people to collaborate with me, so don't be shy!


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